Search Engine Update
Google:
This search engine still dominates, receiving an estimated 64% of all search engine requests (about 13 billion per month). Google optimization and registration is the most important first step in launching your new website, or in re-positioning your updated site(s).
Net2Business routinely optimizes each public page for Google search, and may encourage you to offer content using the Keywords and phrases your customers use. Proprietary software actually allows us to look back over the past 300 million searches or so see what your competition is doing, and what searches have been made - including misspellings and very specific requests by part number or city of service. Since Google works by relevance and accepts free requests for listings, this method can still offer a great degree of success, especially when we optimize for a locality.
Google offers immediate registration and referrals on a Pay-per-Click Basis. Based on the search phrase, your box ad can show up to the right of the results. Limited research indicates that the paid AdWords are less effective than top placement in the search results, and can be quite expensive. We highly recommend the Backwards Search Research before you make commitments to Google Adwords.
YAHOO!
Is a strong second, receiving a little over 20% of search engine traffic so far in 2009. The original directory has corrupted its search by taking money every way it can. If you were fortunate enough to get listed 2 or more years ago, when listings were free but very slow, you may want to practice benign neglect. However, any updates to your website should include code that forces a re-indexing. Otherwise, YAHOO! is prone to 'link rot' and may direct customers to pages that no longer exist, rather than your new content.
It is also possible to speed up results though advertising buys with YAHOO!
Bing
Microsoft's newest player is heavily advertising and gaining ground - apparently from YAHOO! and smaller players. The numbers are still less than 10% of all searches, but the trend is upwards. Some established accounts have appeared in this search, but with old data. Updates are strongly recommended.